Wringer



I AVAILABLE COPY Oct. 5, 1943. F. BRECKENRIDGE 2,331,168

WRINGER Filed May 23, 1939 v 4 Sheets-Sheet l I WITNESSES: v -|NVENTORW7 fl/ Hw /r Bracken/7'09 Oct. 5, 1943. F, BRECKENRIDGE 2,331,168

WRINGERQ Fliled May 25," 1959 4 SheetsSheet 2 WITNESSES: E INVENTOR W.A? fi'mf firecke/rr/dye.

75% I mm Oct. 5, 1943. F. BRECKENRIDGE WRINGEK' Filed May 23 1!WITNESSES:

particularly to permanently Patented Oct. 5, 1943 FFlCE 'RINGER FrankBre'ckenri Westinghouse pany, East Pennsylvama.

Application MayZB, 1939, Serial No. 275,166 Claims. (0]. 74 47s)' Myinvention relates to wringersand more an auxiliary self-operatingintermediately mounted engaging and disengaging or shifting mechanismtherefor.

With wringers now known, in which an operathe power supply by a lighttouch tor.

A still further object of my invention is to provide an auxiliaryintermediate mechanism for connecting the wringer rolls to the throughthe reversing mechanism is applied to the wringer rolls and ng the rollsfrom the power supply ering with the reversing mechafrom an operapowersupp when pressure without interf nism setting.

Another object of my invention is to provide an auxiliary shiftingmechanism for a wringer which is self-operating when actuated by a lighttouch from an operator or as a result of the, actions of the safetyrelease mechanism. I

Other objects of my invention will either be pointed out specifically inthe course' of the following description of one form of apparatusembodying my invention, or will be apparent from such description. I

Referring to the accompanying drawings:

Figs. 1 and 2 are side elevational and top plan views, respectively, ofa wringerembodying my invention;

dge, Man Electric Pittsburgh, Pad

. clutch member and 262, located with sfield, Ohio, assignor toManufacturin Coma corporation of Fig. 3 is an enlarged s the line IIIIII of Fig. Fig. 4 is an explodedview of the gor engaging and di bodyingmy invention;

Fig. 5 is a se VV of Fig. 3;

6, 7 and 8 are s auxiliary shiftsengaging mechanism em- Figs. the lintive positions; and

Fig. 9 is a partial side elev device shown in Fig; 8.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, I show a wringer I2, having aframe IS, a transmission housing 20, a transmission mechanism 24. alower wringer r01 and an pending application Serial 23, 1939.

The transmissio g 20 of wringer l2 and has gears 242 and 244 (see Fig.3) rotata sociated with a in any manner operatively as suitable powerdevice, not shown, desired.

A is .slidably 6, intermed pinion gears 242 and 244. Such 252 has agrooved-ring portion he central portion thereof, and has teeth portions256 and 258 located on the upper and lower surfaces, respectively,thereof. The teeth portions 256 and 258 of member 252 cooperate withnotched portions 260 in the pinion gears 242 and the clutch member 252is r driven shaft 246 in a man- 254 located in t 244, respectively, asmoved along the powe ectional view taken along 4 2 e e ctional viewtaken along the line ational view of the n mechanism 24 is located theclutch sleeve 214 is mounted within ner to he hereinafter described. Abeveled gear 264, which is, in this instance, considered a part of theauxiliary sociated with the pinion gears 242 and 244 and with thewringer roll shaft 186 associated with the lower wringer roll 68, so asto transmit power thereto.

An operating handle 246 rotatably mounted upon the housing 28 operatesthe reversing clutch member 252 by means of an eccentrically mounted pin266 rigidly attached thereto in response to rotational movements of thehandle, in a well known manner.

The auxiliary gaging mechanism 28, see Figs. 3 to 9, inclusive,comprises the beveled gear 264 which, in this instance, includes anelongated rearwardly extending sleeve portion 210, a lever operatingrack 212, a sleeve member 214, a supporting device 216 which is, in thisinstance, a part of the transmission housing, and a resilient member 218operatively associated with the sleeve member 214 and the support 216.The beveled gear 264 has, in this instance, the cylindrical sleeve 210made integral therewith. However, it is to be understood that, ifdesired the sleeve portion 210 may be removably attached to the beveledgear 264 whatsoever.

The rearwardly extending cylindrical sleeve portion 216 has the outsidesurface thereof machined to form a bearing surface to cooperate with theinside surface of the sleeve 214. The the supporting structure 216 andthe sleeve 216 may be mounted therein. The beveled gear 264 and sleeveportion 216 are thus Journaled within the sleeve 214 and, accordingly,are free torotate within such sleeve 214 asan A circular notchedportion. 280 is out about the circumference of the sleeve portion 216 tocooperate with the lever operating rack 212 in a manner and for apurpose as hereinafter described.

The lever operating rack212 comprises two members 3H) and 3l2 which aresubstantially semi-circular in shape (see Figs. 4 and 6) The members 3 Iand 312 are formed from sheet metal with upstanding outer walls 314 and234, and with substantially semi-circularly shaped upstanding innerwalls 316 and 236, respectively. Radlally outward extending ears 311 maybe functionally integral with the inner walls 3i6 and 236 to enable thetwo members 310 and 312 to be joined together. These members are joinedtogether, by means of bolts 238 which extend through the ears 311, so asto form substantially a dish-shaped device having a cylindricallyshapedaperture 356 therethrough.

Handles 318 are'rigidly attached to the upstanding outer walls 314 and234 or may be formed integrally therewith. The handles 316 extendradially from the outer walls 314 and 234, and are substantiallyopposite each other. The handles are of such length to extend outsidethe wringer l2, through suitable vertically extending elongatedapertures 3l9 located in the housing 20 (see Figs. 1, 2 and Suitableknobs 304 are positioned at the end of the handles 318 to enable anoperator to readily operate the mechanism 28, as hereinafter described.

A hardened steel cam-plate or member 292 is attached to the outersurface of the inner upstanding wall 316 of member 316 in any desirablemanner. An irregular V-shaped slot 290 is out within the innerupstanding wall 316 of the opshifting or engaging and disenmechanism 28,is operatively as- V the operating walls 314 and 234 erating rack 212and within the hardened steel cam member 292 (see Figs. 4 and 9). A setscrew 286 is attached to the sleeve 214 and cooperates with the V-shapedslot 298 and with an elongated slot 288 in the support 216 to operatethe mechanism 28, as hereinafter described.

The central portion of the outer upstanding of the lever operating rack212 extend somewhat above the remaining portion of the walls, and haveinwardly extending curved flanges 360 located at each end (see Figs. 4,6, '7 The curved flanges 360 provide a bearing 98, which may rotate rack212 in either direction to disengage the shifting mechanismsimultaneously with the actuation of the safety release mechanism. Thecam 98 is attached to and rotates with the pressure shaft H16 which is apart of porting device 21B .member 214 is thus the wringer safetyrelease and pressure mechanism 3i, as is fully described in my copendingapplication, Serial No. 288,311, filed August 4, 1939. The shaft isadapted to rotate in a clockwise direction upon the release of the rollpressure. The cam 98 will thus, through 'its cooperation with theflanges 366, cause the operating rack 212 to be actuated and todisengage the'connection through the mechanism in a manner ashereinafter described and as described and claimed in theabove-identified application.

The sleeve member 214 has an outwardly extending flanged portion 262located at the end thereof and is slidably mounted within the supportingdevice so that the flange 282 is located farthest from the beveled gear264 when the sleeveportion thereof is positioned within the sleevemember 214. The resilient member 218 is-located about the. outside ofsleeve 214 and within the supporting device 216. A shoulder 284 in thesupporting device 216 cooperates with the resilient member and limitsits movement within the supporting device The sleeve slidably mountedwithin the support 216 and is biased away from the reversing mechanismor powersupplying means by the resilient member 218.

The set screw 286 is threadedly engaged with the sleeve 214 within anaperture 285 and extends into the circular notch 280 in the cylindricalsleeve portion 210 of the beveled gear 264 (see Fig. 5). The set screw286, rigidly attached to the sleeve 214,'in addition to cooperating withbeveled gear 264, extends outwardly through the aperture 288 locatedwithin the supporting device 216, through the irregularly shapedaperture 290 located within the lever-operating rack 212, and throughthe hardened steel cam 292 attached to the outside of thelever-operating rack 212. It is, therefore, obvious that the set screw286 is operatively engaged with the, beveled gear 264, sleeve member214, support 216 and the operating rack 212, and that such set screwwill move wlththe sleeve member 214 and within the slot 288.

When assembling the mechanism 28, the resilient member 218 is positionedover'the sleeve 214 substantially as shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. Thesleeve 214 with the'resilient member 216 positioned thereon is thenmounted within the supin such a manner that the threaded aperture 285will be in line with the slot 288 in support 216. The resilient memberthus engages the flange 282 and shoulder 284 and biases the sleevemember 214 outwardly.

The beveled gear 264 with the operatively associated cylindrical sleeveportion 210 is then slid within the sleeve member 214 and into such aposition that the circular notch therein will be located substantiallybelow or in line with the threaded apertures285 in the sleeve member 214and the slot 288. The set screw 286 may then be inserted within theaperture 288, within the support 216, and tightened down upon the sleeve214 within threaded aperture 285. The beveled gear 264 and sleeveportion 216 will then be free to rotate within the sleeve member 214,but, due to the cooperative action of the set screw 286, such gearcannot move longitudinally with respect to the sleeve member 214.However, due to the set screw 286 being positioned within the slot 288in they support 216, the beveled gear 264 and sleeve member 214 can andwill move longitudinally together within the confines of the slot 288.

The lever-operating ra k 212 may then be positioned about the outside ofthe supporting device 216 within the housing 26. The irregular V- shapedslot 296 should be positioned in line with the threaded aperture285 andset screw 286, with such set screw 286 positioned within the engagedlongitudinal position offthe gear 264 withrespect to the pinions 242 and244; it being the transmission housing 26 and into the end of thewringer frame I6. A lock-nut 36I is posi tioned thereon and tightenedupon the frame I6 to lock the screw 366 in any desired position.

It is, therefore, obvious that the set-screws 366 may be adjustablymoved into' or out of the irregular V-shaped slot 296. The set screw 286212 and of the hardened steel cam 292 attachedthereto.

It is to be understood that, as the lever operating rack 212 ispositioned about and operatively associated with the support 216, theoperating handles, functionally integral therewith, will be positionedthrough the slots 3I9 in the wringer housing 26. The operating knobs 364will thus be positioned outside the wringer with one on either sidethereof.

With the auxiliary mechanism 28 assembled in such a manner, it isapparent that the resilient member 218, operatively associated with theflanged portion 282 of the sleeve member 214 and the shoulder portion284 of the supporting device 216, will bias the sleeve member 214longitudinally within the supporting device 216. Since the set screw 286is rigidly attached to the sleeve member 214, and operatively associatedwith the cylind ical sleeve portion 216 of the beveled gear 264, it isapparent that the beveled gear 264 will be moved longitudinallysimultaneously with the movement of the sleeve member 214. However, thelongitudinal movement of the beveledgear 264 and the sleeve member 214will be limited by the dimensions of the slotted aperture 288 locatedwithin the supporting device 216. The aperture 298 will likewise preventthe rotation of the sleeve member 214 within the supporting device 216,since due to its shape it I will permit only the longitudinal motion ofthe 216 by means of a plurality of ball-headed set screws 366. or thelike, operatively associated with the transmission housing 26 and thesupporting device 216 through the bosses 362, integral therewith, seeFigs. 3 and 4. In addition,

the screws 366 provide means for adjusting the transmission housing 26so as to provide means for adjusting the running engagement between thepinions 242 and 244 and the gear 264 while such pinion and gearare in anoperating or cooperative engagement. This structure then permits thegear to be adjusted after the wringer has been assembled and providesmeans for eliminating any noise produced by improper alignmenttherebetween.

The auxiliary mechanism 28 is operatively associated with the lowerwringer roll 66 through the cooperation of a universalv coupling I84.The coupling I84 is loosely associated with the mechanism 28 through acylindrical sleeve bearing 294 and a pin 296. The cylindrical sleevebearing 294 is located within the free or open end of the cylindricalsleeve 216 operatively associated with the beveled gear 264. The pin 296may be rigidly attached to the sleeve portion 216 near the open end andalong a transverse diameter thereof, and may be inserted through thesleeve bearing 294. may be positioned about the outside of the pin 296,if desired.

The universal coupling I84, which may be a slotted member looselyattached to the roll shaft I86 by means of a pin I85, may then bemounted within the sleeve bearing 294 with the notched portion thereoicooperating with the pm 296. The rotational energy of the beveled gear264 will thus be transmitted through the cylindrical sleeve portion 216,the pin 296, the universal coupling I84 and the lower wringer roll shaftI86.

When operating the auxiliary shifting or engaging. anddisengagingmechanism 28 embodying my invention, the lever operating rack212 may be manually rotated about the supporting device 216 by means ofthe operating knobs 364,

rigidly attached to the said lever operating rack '212, through thehandles 3I8. The rack 212 may also be rotated automatically, so as todisengage the clutch, in unison with the safety release mechanismthrough the cooperative action of pressure shaft I66 and by means of thecam 98 engaging the flanges 366. As the lever operating rack 212 isrotated from an engaged 'position about the supporting device 216 withthe beveled gear 264 engaging the pinion gears, the set screw 286,operatively disposed within the aperture 296, will move longitudinallywithin the aperture 288, due to its cooperative action with the cam 292and due to the aperture 268 preventing the rotation of the set screw286.

The aperture 296 is substantially V-shaped (see Fig. 9) and hasflattened portions 366 located at each end thereof. Due to the Presenceof the flattened portion 366 of the aperture 296,

the set screw 286, when resting therein, with the beveled gear engagingone of the pinion gears, will hold said beveled gear in such en- Atubular bearing 298 cam 292.

4 p gagement against the longitudinal biasing action of the resilientmember 218. However, as the lever operating rack 212 is rotated slightlyso that the set screw 288 will be just beyond the flattened portion 388,the resilient member 218 will then force the sleeve member 214 and setscrew 286 in a longitudinal manner causing the lever operating rack 212to rotate. The set screw 286 will thus come to rest in the bottomportion of the V-shaped aperture 268 (see Fig. 9).

As the set screw moves from the flattened portion 386 to the V-shapedportion 388, the sleeve 214 will move a longitudinal distance equal tothe length of the aperture 288, which is substantially the longitudinaldistance between the flattened'portion 386 and the V-shaped portion 388of the aperture 288. As the set screw and the sleeve member 214 move insuch a manner, the beveled gear 264 and the cylindrical sleeve portion218, due to the cooperating action of the set screw 286 within thecircular notched portion 288, will likewise be moved longitudinallywithin the supporting device 216, a distance equal to the longitudinalmovement of the set screw 286.

It is, therefore, obvious that, as the set screw 286, which .was locatedin the flattened portion 386 of the aperture 288 with the clutch in anengaged position, is moved from such position to the apex of theV-shaped portion 388 of the aperture 288, the beveled gear 264 will bemoved longitudinally a distance corresponding to such longitudinalmovement of the set screw 286, and the lever operating rack will berotated a distance corresponding to the rotational movement of the It isfurther obvious that with the set screw 286 in the apex portion of theV-shaped groove 288 the beveled gear 264 will be moved to the right orwill be disengaged from the pinion gears. In other words the mechanism28 will be disengaged from the power supply delivered to the wringerrolls from either pinion without afiecting the reversing or transmissionmechanism setting.

To force the beveled gear 264 back to its original position, it ismerely necessary to rotate the lever operating rack in either directionso that the set screw 286 will be forced back to either flattenedportion 386. As the lever operating rack 212 is rotated by handle 3i8,the set screw286 will be forced along the aperture 288 by means of cam282 causing the pin 286, since it is prevented from rotation by aperture288, to move longitudinally within the aperture 288 until it comes torest upon a flattened portion of the aperture 288. As the leveroperating rack 212 is operated in such a manner, the set screw 286 willbe moved from the right-hand position, as shown in Fig. 9 to theleft-hand position as shown in Fig. 5, where such set screw will beresting along the flattened surface 386. As the set screw 288 ismovedlongitudinally to the left, the beveled gear 264, through thecooperating action of the set screw 286 within the circular notch 288,will likewise be moved to the left, and will be in a position to engageor will engage the pinions.

It is, therefore, obvious that the lever operating rack 212 may move thebeveled gear 264 either from left-hand or engaged position to aright-hand or disengaged position by merely rotating the lever-operatingrack in one direction or the other. It is further obvious that with thelever located in a neutral position, that is, with the beveled gear 264in it right-hand or inoperative position, such rack may be moved ineither direction to force the beveled gear 264 back into an operative orto its left-hand position.

The resilient member 218, which biases the sleeve 214 and set screw 286to the right and the well known normal thrust action of gear 264, causethe sleeve 214 and sleeve portion 218 to be suddenly movedlongitudinally as the leveroperating rack 212 is rotated in eitherdirection, in such a manner that set screw 288 becomes disengaged fromthe flat portion 386 of slot 298. In other words, the mechanism will bedisengaged automatically by resilient member 218 when thelever-operating rack is rotated far enough so that the set screw 286will leave the flat portion 386 of slot 298. By having the length of theflat portion 386 small, it is apparent that the amount of rotationrequired by rack 212 to operate the shifting mechanism will likewise besmall. As an operator rotates the rack 212 by means oi. a slight touchon either handle 384,

.rack 212 will permit the set screw 286 to move within the aperture 288and in turn move the bevel gear 264 longitudinally in the supportingdevice 216.

It is, therefore, obvious that the mechanism 28 may be operatedautomatically through the action of the resilient member 218 by means ofa light touch of an operator upon handles 284 or by the action of cam 98on the flanges 368.

Various modifications may be made in the device embodying my inventionwithout departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and I desire,therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereon as areimposed by the prior art and the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A shifting mechanism including a supporting member, a sleeve memberrotatably and slidably mounted within said supporting member, saidsleeve member having a flanged portion at one end thereof, a resilientmember operatively associated with said supporting member and flangedportion of said sleeve member, means comprising said resilient memberfor moving said sleeve member axially within said supporting member, adriving member rotatively mounted within said sleeve member, and meansattached to said sleeve member for moving said driving member axiallywithin said supporting member as said sleeve is moved axially withinsaid supporting member.

2. A shifting mechanism including a supporting member, a sleeve memberrotatably and slidably mounted within said supporting member, saidsleeve member having a flanged portion at one end thereof, a resilientmember operatively associated with said supporting member andflangedportion of said sleeve member, means comprising said resilientmember for moving said sleeve member axially ,within said supportingmember, a driving member rotatively mounted within said sleeve member,an operating member rotatably mounted upon said sup- 3. A shiftingmechanism including a supporting member, a sleeve member rotatably andslidably mounted within said supporting member having a V-shaped groovelocated therein, said sleeve member having a flanged portion at one endthereof, a resilient member operatively associated with said supportingmember and flanged portion of said sleeve member, means comprising saidresilient member for moving said sleeve member axially within saidsupporting member, a driving member rotatively mounted within saidsleeve member, an operating member rotatably mounted upon saidsupporting member, and means attached to said sleeve member andoperatively associated with said operating member within the V-shapedgroove for moving said driving member axially within said supportingoperatively associated with said supporting" member and flanged portionof said sleeve member, means comprising said resilient member for movingsaid sleeve member axially within said supporting member, a drivingmember rotatively mounted within said sleeve member, and means attachedto said sleevemember and operatively associated with said slottedsupporting member for moving said driving member axially within saidsupporting member as said sleeve is moved axially within said supportingmember.

5. A shitting mechanism including-a slotted supporting'member, a sleevemember'rotatably and slidably mounted within said supporting member,said sleeve member having a flanged portionat one end thereof, aresilient member operatively associated with said supporting member andflanged portion of said sleeve memand for limiting the axial movement ofsaid M driving member. I

FRANK BRECKENRIDGE.

